Take your chocolate chip cookies up a notch

In honor of National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day I decided it was time to unleash my inner cookie monster and spend a day playing around with this delicious dessert staple. There’s a reason why chocolate chip cookies are arguably the most popular baked good in America. When done right the combination of tender, flavorful dough and melted chocolate is at once comforting, nostalgic and delicious. I encourage you to celebrate this most important of dessert holidays by whipping up a batch of your favorite recipe and consider taking it up a notch with one or more of the tips below!

1. Better your buttah!

Try browning half of the butter called for in your recipe. This will add some serious depth of flavor. Browning butter evaporates the water content and toasts the milk solids of the butter which gives it a slightly nutty taste and significantly concentrates the flavor. Just be careful, once your butter starts to brown it doesn’t take long to burn, and that’s not a flavor you want in your cookie!

2. Go nuts!

Adding walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, or even shredded coconut can add significant flavor and richness to even the most delicious chocolate chip cookie. Just be sure to take the time and toast your nuts before adding them to the batter. Toasting nuts helps to bring out their flavor and in some cases eliminate bitterness.

3. Make a chip shot!

Play with the flavor of your cookie by playing with your chips. Rather than just one kind of chip, try a blend of white, milk and dark chocolate chips. Or if you really want to knock it out of the park, try breaking up your favorite high-end chocolate bar and using small chunks in place of chips. Some artisanal chocolate makers, like Mast Brothers, are starting to sell baking chips so be on the lookout!

4. Go big or go home!

Consider making a big statement with your next batch of dough by making one giant chocolate chip cookie. Whether you do it in a skillet or in a sheet pan, or perhaps as a cookie pie or a cookie cake, your big cookie is sure to delight your family and friends. That is, if you’re willing to share!

5. Finish it with a savory sprinkle!

Salted sweets have been all the rage for a while - salted caramel anyone? This is for good reason. With some ingredients, chocolate being one of them, a pinch of salt can really bring out the nuances of chocolate and heighten the flavor. Try using a nice finishing salt, like delightfully flaky Maldon salt or a flavorful fleur de sel to add extra oomph. Be sure to use a light touch, more is definitely not better when it comes to salt on cookies.

Oh, and don’t forget to use an ice cream scoop to get uniformly sized, thick cookies. It works like a treat.